We are pleased to announce year four of Keystones: Technology Integrators, a program that celebrates model practice teachers throughout Pennsylvania. These teachers bring to the classroom content, motivational and management expertise to capture students’ imaginations and harness learning in our children. Over 1,700 teachers from across the Commonwealth have been identified as Keystones. These Keystones represent over 300 school districts, non-public schools, and CTC/AVTS. Annually Approximately 100 Keystones are invited to attend a five-day Summit each summer where they engaged in hands-on workshops with topics such as differentiating instruction and teaching in the 21st Century. Throughout the past year, the Keystones network has grown strong through constant communication, professional development opportunities and grant writing competitions. Keystones are featured at the annual Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C).
A Technology Integrator is a classroom teacher who fully utilizes the many benefits technology offers to improve instructional practices across his/her content areas. In doing this, the teacher does not focus on the technology itself; rather, s/he focuses on student learning and uses technology as a tool to support this end.
This teacher integrates technology into his/her design of learning experiences to:
Engage students in, and have them interact with, the content
*
Assist students in mastering local and state standards
Foster students’ curiosity, creativity and willingness to take risks
Engage students in problem-solving activities that are meaningful, often reflecting real-world tasks
Promote collaboration and communication between students
Encourage students to take ownership of their work and become more self-directed in their learning
Address the diverse needs of learners
This teacher is an individual who:
Facilitates learning rather than transmitting knowledge
Plans strategies to manage student learning and behavior in a technology-enhanced environment
Helps students understand the ethical, cultural and societal issues related to technology
Shares his/her practices with peers and seeks out evidence-based practices from others
Applies technology in assessing student learning of subject matter
Reflects on and assesses his/her practices and uses current research as a framework for improvement
Explores creative ways to use technology as a means of fostering a home-school connection
Takes an active leadership role in his/her school
Why Participate?
All Keystones will receive a formal certificate of recognition from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Office of Information and Educational Technology (OIET) and be publicly identified as a Keystone on the OIET website.
Keystones become part of a statewide network of teacher leaders who share best practices about ways to utilize technology for improving instruction and student performance.
Professional development opportunities such as web-based conferences and grant writing competitions are continually offered through the Keystones Program.
Keystones have opportunities to present at various conferences and seminars such as the annual Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C).
All state-level Keystones for 2007, will be invited to attend the Keystones Summit from July 15th to 19th.
The selection of Keystones is a building, local district and regional process that begins with school-level nominations, progresses to a district-level selection, and finally to a regional selection at which point Keystones are chosen to be invited to the Keystones Summit. However, it is important to note that all teachers nominated at the school level are recognized as Keystones.
School-level nomination
Each school principal will use the criteria above to nominate one classroom teacher to represent the school. This teacher will complete a narrative essay to be submitted through the online application process. We realize that selection is difficult because it is tough to choose just one teacher. However, we plan to continue the Keystones Program in the coming years so any teacher not nominated this year will have other opportunities to be nominated.
District-level selection
The building level nominees will create an essay based upon a question that focuses on the integration, instruction and application of technology in their classroom. Each district will review the narrative essays of all Keystones in the district and select up to two Keystones as its representative(s). These district-level Keystones will each create a sample of work, to visually enhance their essay that will be submitted to the regional review team.
Regional-level selection
A minimum of ten regional review teams will select two Keystones per Intermediate Unit area and four additional Keystones from each region. This process will identify over 100 Keystones, and they, with Keystones from nonpublic, private, charter and vocational-technical schools, will be invited to attend the Keystones Summit held in the summer.
A list of regional review coordinators and contact information can be found HERE. return to top Timeline
Activity
Date
School-level selection process begins
January 12
School-level selection closes
February 16 (4 PM)
District-level selection process begins
February 23
District-level selection closes
March 16 (4 PM)
District-level Keystones submit samples of work to regional review team
March 19 –April 13 (4 PM)
Regional review process
April 16 – April 27
All Keystones receive certificates and State-level Keystones receive invitation letters to Summit
May 11
State-level Keystones deadline to participate in Keystones Summit
May 25
Keystones Summit for State level Keystones at Shippensburg University
July 15 - 19
Narrative Essay Guidelines
School-level Keystones will compose a response to the following prompt:
Describe the technology-infused instruction that takes places in your classroom and how it affects your daily teaching and learning process
The response should be no more than two pages in length (Arial font, 12 point size, Double-spaced).
After being nominated by his/her principal, the Keystone will receive an email directing him/her to complete the online application process. The essay will need to be typed or copy/pasted into the online application. Sample of Work Guidelines
If a Keystone is selected by his/her district to be a district-level Keystone, he/she will have to submit a sample of work graphically representing their essay to the regional review team. Directions to complete this will be emailed directly to each state level Keystone. This sample of work should bring the teacher’s essay to life through the use of multimedia. It consists of two parts:
Electronic Presentation: The electronic presentation could be a PowerPoint slideshow, a digital movie or any other multimedia that can be easily viewed by others. The presentation should illustrate how you as a Keystone use technology to enhance daily instruction and improve teaching and the learning process.
and
Student Work: The electronic presentation could include a sample of student work or the sample of student work can be submitted separately. The student work should demonstrate the result of the teacher’s integration of technology into classroom instruction.
Submission of the work sample authorizes the Department of Education or designee(s) for the Keystones Project to publish, replicate or distribute including electronically the project as exemplars of best practices.
Keystones Summit
State-level Keystones will be invited to participate in a five-day summit where they will collaborate with colleagues, share ideas and practices, and strategize ways to disseminate model practices across the Commonwealth. Keystones will be immersed in learning experiences that expose them to innovative ideas for teaching with technology and emphasize their role as teacher leaders.
Who are we? Overview
We are pleased to announce year four of Keystones: Technology Integrators, a program that celebrates model practice teachers throughout Pennsylvania. These teachers bring to the classroom content, motivational and management expertise to capture students’ imaginations and harness learning in our children. Over 1,700 teachers from across the Commonwealth have been identified as Keystones. These Keystones represent over 300 school districts, non-public schools, and CTC/AVTS. Annually Approximately 100 Keystones are invited to attend a five-day Summit each summer where they engaged in hands-on workshops with topics such as differentiating instruction and teaching in the 21st Century. Throughout the past year, the Keystones network has grown strong through constant communication, professional development opportunities and grant writing competitions. Keystones are featured at the annual Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C).[[http://www.pde.state.pa.us/ed_tech/cwp/view.asp?A=169&Q=102826#top|]]
Criteria: What is a Technology Integrator?
A Technology Integrator is a classroom teacher who fully utilizes the many benefits technology offers to improve instructional practices across his/her content areas. In doing this, the teacher does not focus on the technology itself; rather, s/he focuses on student learning and uses technology as a tool to support this end.
This teacher integrates technology into his/her design of learning experiences to:
- Engage students in, and have them interact with, the content
*Assist students in mastering local and state standards
- Foster students’ curiosity, creativity and willingness to take risks
- Engage students in problem-solving activities that are meaningful, often reflecting real-world tasks
- Promote collaboration and communication between students
- Encourage students to take ownership of their work and become more self-directed in their learning
- Address the diverse needs of learners
This teacher is an individual who:Why Participate?
- All Keystones will receive a formal certificate of recognition from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Office of Information and Educational Technology (OIET) and be publicly identified as a Keystone on the OIET website.
- Keystones become part of a statewide network of teacher leaders who share best practices about ways to utilize technology for improving instruction and student performance.
- Professional development opportunities such as web-based conferences and grant writing competitions are continually offered through the Keystones Program.
- Keystones have opportunities to present at various conferences and seminars such as the annual Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C).
- All state-level Keystones for 2007, will be invited to attend the Keystones Summit from July 15th to 19th.
return to top[[http://www.pde.state.pa.us/ed_tech/cwp/view.asp?A=169&Q=102826#top|]]Selection Process
The selection of Keystones is a building, local district and regional process that begins with school-level nominations, progresses to a district-level selection, and finally to a regional selection at which point Keystones are chosen to be invited to the Keystones Summit. However, it is important to note that all teachers nominated at the school level are recognized as Keystones.
School-level nomination
Each school principal will use the criteria above to nominate one classroom teacher to represent the school. This teacher will complete a narrative essay to be submitted through the online application process. We realize that selection is difficult because it is tough to choose just one teacher. However, we plan to continue the Keystones Program in the coming years so any teacher not nominated this year will have other opportunities to be nominated.
District-level selection
The building level nominees will create an essay based upon a question that focuses on the integration, instruction and application of technology in their classroom. Each district will review the narrative essays of all Keystones in the district and select up to two Keystones as its representative(s). These district-level Keystones will each create a sample of work, to visually enhance their essay that will be submitted to the regional review team.
Regional-level selection
A minimum of ten regional review teams will select two Keystones per Intermediate Unit area and four additional Keystones from each region. This process will identify over 100 Keystones, and they, with Keystones from nonpublic, private, charter and vocational-technical schools, will be invited to attend the Keystones Summit held in the summer.
A list of regional review coordinators and contact information can be found HERE.
return to top
Timeline
Narrative Essay Guidelines
School-level Keystones will compose a response to the following prompt:
Describe the technology-infused instruction that takes places in your classroom and how it affects your daily teaching and learning process
The response should be no more than two pages in length (Arial font, 12 point size, Double-spaced).
After being nominated by his/her principal, the Keystone will receive an email directing him/her to complete the online application process. The essay will need to be typed or copy/pasted into the online application.
Sample of Work Guidelines
If a Keystone is selected by his/her district to be a district-level Keystone, he/she will have to submit a sample of work graphically representing their essay to the regional review team. Directions to complete this will be emailed directly to each state level Keystone. This sample of work should bring the teacher’s essay to life through the use of multimedia. It consists of two parts:
Electronic Presentation: The electronic presentation could be a PowerPoint slideshow, a digital movie or any other multimedia that can be easily viewed by others. The presentation should illustrate how you as a Keystone use technology to enhance daily instruction and improve teaching and the learning process.
and
Student Work: The electronic presentation could include a sample of student work or the sample of student work can be submitted separately. The student work should demonstrate the result of the teacher’s integration of technology into classroom instruction.
Submission of the work sample authorizes the Department of Education or designee(s) for the Keystones Project to publish, replicate or distribute including electronically the project as exemplars of best practices.
Keystones Summit
State-level Keystones will be invited to participate in a five-day summit where they will collaborate with colleagues, share ideas and practices, and strategize ways to disseminate model practices across the Commonwealth. Keystones will be immersed in learning experiences that expose them to innovative ideas for teaching with technology and emphasize their role as teacher leaders.